Blockchain is still a relatively young technology, and while it still has a few challenges to overcome, there are already several real world examples of its potential for positive change.

Buying new technology is expensive and always a risk. How much use will you actually get out of it before it becomes obsolete? Services offering the option of renting technology - instead of buying it outright - are bringing the power of the sharing economy to an industry that desperately needs a new approach.

It's been called "one of the most important scientific achievements of the last 100 years" and "the distributed trust network that the Internet always needed and never had." So, what exactly is blockchain technology and how does it work?

Would you like to travel more than your bank account allows you to? Do you enjoy talking to people and experiencing different cultures with locals? Then this platform may be just the thing for you. TalkTalkBnb allows you to see the world for free and mingle with the locals, all while using your language skills. So, where would you like to go?

Ownership is so last century. The new startup Slock.it wants to make it easier for people to share their assets in a direct, autonomous and secure way - by integrating blockchain into the sharing economy.

E-mobility meets sharing. Share & Charge is a new platform that has a fresh idea for how to tackle the problem of insufficient of charging points for electric cars - by connecting EV drivers with people and their private charging stations at home.

First came bike sharing schemes, then electric car sharing systems started gaining in popularity. Now several large cities around the world are rolling out electric scooter sharing services. Will this be the new vehicle of choice for urban dwellers?

Two hours of language lessons in exchange for a night's accommodation and a slap-up breakfast. Doesn't sound like a bad deal, does it? New English-Irish startup GoCambio is connecting people looking for language lessons with travellers on the search for an authentic experience.

Accumulated too much stuff in 2014? Instead of letting it sit in a corner and gather dust, share it around!